The effect of dietary crude protein substitution as protected soybean meal on pregnant and lactating ewes’ performance

Abstract

Production respons was related to rumen undegradable protein feeding. Twenty-six local late pregnant ewes are penned individually and allocated to four dietary treatment groups of feed supplement, containing different amount of protected soybean meal and provided 0% (R1), 10% (R2) 20% (R3) and 40% (R4) crude protein of feed supplement respectively. Diets were fed until the first 8-week of lactation phase. Results showed that the mean of total dry matter intake (DMI) during late pregnancy was 3,42% of body weight (BW). Dietary treatments of protected-protein tended to increase daily mean intake of dry matter (P>0.05), ie. 76.9; 77.25; 77.49 and 78.81 g/kg BW 0.75 for R0, R1, R2 and R3 respectively. A similar trend was noted in daily intake of crude protein with the mean of 9.75; 10.31; 10,75 and 12.1 g/kg BW0.75 (for R0, R1, R2 and R3 respectively) and were not different significantly (P>0.05) among dietary treatments. Increasing the amount of protected-protein in the ration influenced (P 0.05), by increasing level of protected-protein in the ration, averaging 3.2 kg/ewe. Increasing protected-protein, increased (P<0.05) the daily gain (g/ewe) of lambs during the first 8-week of lactation, and it was 127, 131, 165 and 211 g/ewe/d for R0, R1, R2 and R3 respectively. Consequently, the weaned weight at 8- week of ages increased significantly different (P<0.05) as the amount of protected-protein in the diet increased. Key words: Banana latex, protected-protein, ewes production